By Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
Recently in California, a 15-year-old autistic boy was shot and killed by police. Police responded to a call about the boy, and when they arrived the boy charged them with a gardening tool. The officer did not attempt to use any other technique to destress the situation, and instead shot and killed the boy. Incidents like this are not scarce and they are exactly why officers need to be trained on neurotypical behavior, mental illness, and disabilities. Our officers also need to be taught not to reach for their guns unless absolutely necessary. Despite years of discussion, we still see police killing innocent people instead of using other techniques to better the situation. As in this case, a 15-year-old boy should not have lost his life, but who should’ve been cared for and potentially brought to the ground if deemed dangerous.
When law enforcement comes into contact with neurotypical people, they should listen to them, stay calm, use clear speech, avoid touching, and find other ways of communication. We need training like this for all of our officers as it is highly important that police better understand Autism and other forms of neurodiversity, so that we don’t have our neurotypical kids dying at the hands of law enforcement. Institutions also need to continue pushing the usage of different techniques of neutralization. Killing people is the most extreme way of controlling a situation and should not be the default. Law enforcement needs to realize that there are a plethora of other ways to control a situation. We have to keep advocating for more training about neurotypical people and their behaviors as well as alternatives for law enforcement using their weapons and engaging in deadly force.